Leadership: A Product Of Cascading Responsibilities, Improvement, and Integrity

Former Head of Service and Former Secretary to the Delta State Government, Sir S. O. Efenudu came visiting at Petra Christian Academy, Ughelli. He was Director General at the Government House under three different Governors. He is also an old boy of the Prestigious Government College, Ughelli.

It must have been established by now (in previous posts on the Principle of Cascading) that the past, to a large extent, contributes to the future, unless we make drastic changes in our choices, decisions, and actions.

Leadership is the ability to provide direction and motivation for a group of people in order to achieve set objectives. Leadership is not necessarily by the office or positions you occupy; it is more of the role or roles you play, and how well you play those roles.

To provide direction, you need to have values that can take the group of people to a level they aspire to. There can hardly be development without creating a new and better value-system which, in turn, forms the philosophical basis on which development is based.

Leadership is not age-based or based on financial standing or your level of rascality or ability to intimidate. Leadership is not always contested for; great leadership in any field is earned from the values the people attach to you and what you do.

Leadership from the issues raised is value-based—the values you hold dear and the values the society hold dear.

In my post on Values—Leadership Failure and Development, I said, most times, those who lead you are a measure of what you hold dear. In Nigeria, we value tribalism, immediate gratification, religious affinity, regionalism, and party affiliation more than performance and development. We are ready to tolerate non-functional and retrogressive rulers, who are from an analog generation that can’t keep pace with the digital age as long as your bread is buttered, or you feel it is the turn of your region or your party-man or from your religious inclination.

Leadership sometimes sets limitations on the leader. There are some things you can’t afford to do or become because you are a leader.

Sir S. O. Efenudu is a very humble and great leader by any standards. He listens to my radio program every Wednesday by 6:30 a.m. on Quest FM 93.1 and he came to invite me to give a lecture somewhere.

Talent, performance, and results are not enough; leadership demands integrity and self-respect. As multifaceted as leadership can be, self-respect and integrity are constantly expected unless you are gangsters. Even gang leaders earn the respect of their followers.

As you improve on your performance, please improve more on your person and personality. The burden of the demand of leadership comes with a lot of temptations. You must know when to say no and when to say yes.

God Bless You.